Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention generally relates to a system for forming flavored ice from a conventional ice maker installed within a refrigerator/freezer. Conventional refrigerators/freezers typically include a refrigerated section and a freezer section which are separated into two distinct compartments. It is generally known that refrigerators/freezers also typically include automatic ice-making machines disposed within the freezer section. The ice maker is generally connected to a water source via a pipe or waterline located within the consumers"" house. This waterline provides water to the ice makers and may additionally provide refrigerated water available to the consumers from the refrigerated section.
Conventional automatic ice maker machines located in consumer""s refrigerators/freezers are activatable by the consumer to initiate an ice-making process which allows water from the waterline to flow into a reservoir located within the ice maker. The ice maker then segregates the water into cubes or other compact pieces and allows the water to freeze due to the temperature in the freezer. Once frozen, ice cubes are ejected into a holding bin located within the freezer section of the consumer""s refrigerator/freezer. Typically, water purifying systems are also frequently placed inline with the waterline to filter, or otherwise purify, the water flowing into the refrigerated water system and the ice maker. Thus, water and ice may be provided to the consumer which is created from filtered/purified water.
Consumers generally enjoy chilled beverages by placing such beverages over ice such as ice cubes. Typically, consumers will pour the beverage into a drinking cup or glass cup, and fill the cup with ice obtained from their freezer section""s ice-maker to quickly chill their beverage. However, this commonly-used method of beverage chilling has several disadvantages.
As is well known, ice cubes typically melt at a fairly rapid rate when placed within warmer beverages. The resulting effect of such melting is that the beverage becomes diluted by the melted ice. Such dilution is generally undesirable by consumers since most beverages are typically premixed with fairly high precision to ensure that the consumer experiences the same beverage taste each time such beverage is consumed. Dilution is especially undesirable when ice cubes are used in conjunction with soda and other carbonated beverages since carbonated beverages are generally more susceptible to dilution due to the rapid rate at which carbonation dissipates therefrom. Therefore, adding ice cubes to carbonated beverages dilutes the concentration of the same and may otherwise render the beverage xe2x80x9cflatxe2x80x9d due to the lack of carbonation.
Additionally, children and adults generally enjoy frozen foods such as ice cream and popsicles which are available at most markets. While ice cream is generally made of frozen dairy products, popsicles are generally made from flavored ice. If one wished to prepare a homemade popscile or flavored ice, a mixture would need to be prepared which is then transferred to a container and then placed in a freezer. Disadvantageously, the process is relatively difficult and imprecise since one would need to approximate a mixture of a flavored syrup and water to obtain a pleasing flavored ice product. Invariably, each time such a mixture is attempted by a consumer, due to the inaccuracies in the repeatability of homemade processes, the resulting product may have a different concentration and overall taste each time.
Therefore, there exists a need for a simple system which produces a predictable-tasting flavored ice product. There is additionally a need for a system which allows consumers to chill beverages or create beverages in the consumers"" home using their refrigerator/freezer so as to minimize dilution of a beverage. Additionally, there is a need for a flavored ice cartridge dispenser which may be produced with a flavored ice dispenser installed therein or retrofitted to an existing conventional refrigerator/freezer ice box.
The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above-identified deficiencies in the art. Specifically, the present invention fulfills a long-felt need by providing a simple flavored ice dispensing system which repeatedly produces a predictable-tasting flavored ice product. Advantageously, the system produces a flavored ice product which may be consumed alone or placed into a cup or glass to produce an ice-cold beverage with a predictable taste. Even further, due to the quick-connect cartridge or module provided in the system, one of several different selected flavors may be used to produce the flavored ice product. For example, fruit flavors may be used to create popsicle-like flavored ice products or coffee flavors may be used to produce iced coffee liquid beverages. Additionally, several different flavors of ice products produced by the system may be combined together in a blender with water. In this respect, the present invention also allows consumers to produce slushies, smoothies, alcoholic beverage supplements, and other desirable cold ice/liquid products. To accommodate consumers having conventional refrigerators/freezers, the present invention may be retrofitted to such existing conventional refrigerators/freezers with relative ease by removing a section of the refrigerator/freezers""s water conduit and replacing the same with a fluid dispersing module.
In this regard, there is provided a system for forming flavored ice from a refrigerator/freezer having an ice maker fluidly connected to a water source. The system includes a water conduit extending between the ice maker and the water source. The water conduit further includes a shut-off valve disposed adjacent thereto and positioned in-line between the water source and the fluid dispersing module. The water conduit may be sized and configured to deliver fluid pressure from the water source to the fluid dispersing module and subsequently to the ice maker at a pressure in the range of from about 20 PSI to about 100 PSI.
The fluid dispersing module defines a water source inlet port and an ice maker outlet port disposed on opposing ends thereof. The water source inlet port and the ice maker outlet port are placed into fluid communication with the water source and the ice maker respectively. Optionally, the fluid dispersing module may be disposed within the refrigerated portion of the refrigerator/freezer.
The system also includes a fluid cartridge pre-filled with a metered quantity of a flavored fluid mixable with water. Preferably, the flavored fluid is a concentrated syrup. The fluid cartridge has a cartridge inlet port and a cartridge outlet port formed on opposing ends thereof. The fluid cartridge may define a fluid reservoir sized and configured to retain the metered quantity of flavored fluid therein. Optionally, the fluid reservoir defines a fluid restriction member formed therewithin which is positioned therein to mix a portion of the flavored fluid with the water.
The cartridge inlet port and the cartridge outlet port are sized and configured to engage the water source inlet port and the ice maker outlet port respectively. The fluid cartridge is disposable within the fluid dispersing module and placeable into fluid communication with the water source and the ice maker so as to receive water from the water source and to mix the flavored fluid and the water together to form a flavored mixture transferrable to the ice maker.
Preferably, the fluid dispersing module includes a pair of retention arms disposed adjacent the water source inlet port and the ice maker outlet port. The pair of retention arms are sized and configured to frictionally engage opposing ends of the fluid cartridge. Even more preferably, at least one of the pair of retention arms is loaded with a spring for providing tension thereto.
To facilitate replacement of the fluid cartridge, the system may include a first bypass port formed along the water conduit between the water source and the water source inlet port, a second bypass port formed along the water conduit between the ice maker outlet port and the ice maker, and a bypass conduit initiating at the first bypass port and terminating at the second bypass port for placing the water source and the ice maker into fluid communication. Preferably, the bypass conduit is a tubular-shaped pipe. The fluid dispersing module may further include a bypass valve disposed adjacent the first bypass port, the bypass valve being movable between a first position diverting water through the water source inlet port, and a second position diverting water through the bypass conduit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the system may be formed for retrofit applications to existing consumer refrigerators/freezers such that minimal modification is necessary. Specifically, modification to the existing water conduit to provide a fluid metering orifice which engages with the fluid cartridge""s fluid outlet port may be made such that a system for forming flavored ice from an existing consumer refrigerator/freezer may be formed. Where an existing ice maker is fluidly connected to a water source through a water conduit formed therebetween, the water conduit may be modified to provide a fluid metering orifice along a portion thereof. A fluid dispersing module may then be disposed adjacent the fluid metering orifice of the water conduit and the fluid dispersing module may be configured to receive a fluid cartridge. The fluid cartridge may be pre-filled with a metered quantity of a flavored fluid which is mixable with water for attachment to the fluid dispersing module. The fluid cartridge defines a sidewall sized and configured to engage a portion of the water conduit adjacent the fluid dispersing module. The sidewall defines a fluid outlet port sized and configured to engage the fluid metering orifice. The fluid cartridge is connectable to the fluid dispersing module to place the fluid outlet port of the fluid cartridge into fluid communication with the fluid metering orifice of the water conduit so as to expel a portion of the flavored fluid into the water conduit and mix with water from the water source to form a flavored mixture transferrable to the ice maker.